ye olde august catch-all

[thriftea]

WHO: ochako and co.
WHERE: we out here!! ...in chroma
WHEN: the month of august
WHAT: flower crowns! feelings! cute shit!
WARNINGS: i got nothin'


Starters are below! Come chat with me over at tuchanka if you want to do something with Ochako. 😊

Comments

gross feelings: a novel, ft. okuyasu

[thriftea]

[Confessing her honest feelings to someone she feels strongly for... well. Ochako is sure that this will be an easy quest, because emotional stuff? Definitely her forte. Plus it isn't particularly difficult to think of who she wants to talk to. Se cares for many people in Chroma, yes, but only one special person instantly springs to mind. She just has to, you know, tell him that she... that over the past few weeks of dating, she knows that her feelings have...

...Hmm.

Finding the right words shouldn't be this difficult, yet here she sits, staring at a half-filled piece of paper two full hours after she saw the quest post pop up on the forum. She's not writing a speech, nor is she writing a poem; instead, she's making a neat list of every single thing she likes about Okuyasu, and it's cheesy as hell. She honestly likes... everything about him? He's kind, he's funny, he's handsome (yes, really), he's a good cuddler, he's a great kisser, he's extra comfy to nap on, he's always fun to be around, and so on and so forth. Writing all of this down is taking some serious time, but it will be easier, she thinks, to tell him how she feels after telling him why she feels that way. And it makes it more meaningful! Hopefully! Even though she's hardly stingy with compliments, she's never really told him every little thing she li—loves about him.

So. Feel free to just barge on in, Okuyasu? It's not like she's going to notice the door opening downstairs, but when he throws her door open she's going to start with surprise... and slip right off the edge of her chair. On to the ground she goes, paper fluttering everywhere! Thanks!]

too gross...i can't tag this

[pursestrings]

[Emotional stuff is not Okuyasu's forte, despite- or perhaps made obvious by- the everything about him. Is he, as a person, consistently a boiling pot of emotions threatening to explode at any given time? Oh, for sure. But articulating that? That's tough. He's sure every time that he'll either sound stupid or be relentlessly mocked for his tender feelings, and yet... well.

A quest all about sharing his honest feelings for someone he cares for seems like the easiest one to do, still. Ochako doesn't make fun of him (about his feelings, the rest is fair game), Ochako doesn't make him feel stupid— and he already wrote her that poem before they were going out, so really, what's the worst thing he could do now? Nothing, probably.

In the end his decision to trek over to Ochako's house is based on the fact that it's more of a headache to sit around wondering if he should or not. It's not like anything he has to say to her should be news, even if he hasn't put it to words; she's sweet and pretty and probably too good for him (maybe he'll leave that one out), she laughs at his jokes, she always has time for him... Easy!!

Totally easy! Of course he barges right into her house, and finding the downstairs Ochako-free, he heads up the stairs two at a time to barge right into her room—]

Hey! [Annnd girlfriend on the floor, woops, ah—] Whoa, what're you doing?

[Surely this is not his fault, he could never be to blame... he crosses the room hastily to reach down and pull her up, come on.]

i guess we'll just end this thread here!

[thriftea]

[Please let her drown in this sea of paper, thanks. Except this... apparently isn't an option, since he, being the sweet person that he is, rushes right over to help her up. So gallant! Gosh! It's yet another thing to add to her list, but she just offers him a grateful, yet embarrassed smile as she grabs his outstretched hand. What was she doing...]

Me? I was just, um—

[God, he can surely see the wheels spinning as she tries very, very hard to to come up with something on the spot. She's so bad at this.]

I was writing something! [Well, it isn't a lie! But it is possibly... the lamest explanation of all time, which is why her cheeks turn a nice shade of red as she sneakily tries to kick some paper underneath her desk. Ignore it.] A-Anyway, why are you here? If you came to see Busta, I think he's still sleeping.

[She knows and accepts that she is the third wheel in this relationship.]

okuyasu goes home

[pursestrings]

[Writing something, huh? Okuyasu understands the instinct to hide your secret, embarrassing writing under furniture, so he mercifully doesn't dive to go grab at any of those sheets. It's a terrible excuse, no doubt about it - even he can tell it's nonsense - but he's here on a mission, not to tease her about her Secret Papers.

Later, maybe, if they're super embarrassing.]

I'm not here for the bunny, [although he does cherish Busta as well, in a different way.] I came to see you!

[How long has it been since he squished her face with both his hands? Too long, so he does it now for an exciting few seconds to be sure she's looking at him before he relaxes his grip. He's chill, he's cool. He's got this.

...He had this, until he came in here and looked her in the eyes and his nerves left him. Now, suddenly, all his feelings are overwhelming and he doesn't know where to start; the big things, the little things, the totally off the wall things like "you let me name your rabbit Busta and it's still funny"—? His expression twists for a moment like he might tear up, then he sighs and hangs his head. Okay. New approach.]

I didn't, like, plan anything 'cause it'd take me forever, but maybe I should've... [This is the hardest thing he's ever done!!! He looks at her again, determined and also blushing like a maniac. Now they're both like this.] Okay, uh— shit.

[Okuyasu.] I got it, for real, listen up— I love you.

[thriftea]

[Cheek squishing is obviously code for "Ochako, focus," so okay! Fine! No more paper kicking! She hones in on Okuyasu instead, making sure to give him her full and undivided attention as he... fumbles his way through whatever it is he's trying to say. Listen, it isn't exactly the clearest message in the world! There's even a moment—a brief moment—where she wonders if she's about to hear some seriously bad news, but when he meets her eyes once more... oh. Oh.

For those first few seconds all she can do is stand there, blinking blankly back at him as she lets those three words sink in. Did she know that he felt this way? Did she suspect? Well, yes, but hearing him actually say it is something else entirely. And in the bluntest possible way, too! She wastes hours trying to craft the perfect confession, stressing over every single word, and he just waltzes into her room, looks her in the eye, and tackles the issue head on. How very... Okuyasu-like.

She loves it.]

Okuyasu... [A few more blinks, a small smile as her brain slowly kicks back into gear, because God, there are suddenly so many emotions to process. She wants to laugh! Maybe cry? Her cheeks are still worryingly warm, and she isn't sure if this light-headed feeling is due to sheer happiness or the fact that her quirk is slipping out of her control, but whatever! That's stuff to worry about later; for now she simply stretches her arms up to him and decides to go for broke.] I love you, too!

[And for once she doesn't pull him down to her level— she jumps up to his level instead, trying to catch him in a hug as she, of course, laughs with honest-to-goodness relief. Grab her, Okuyasu! Or don't, because she's definitely floating.]

I mean it! I really, really do!

[pursestrings]

[It is. A very stressful few seconds, while they just look at each other. It isn't as though Okuyasu thinks, honestly thinks, that he'll be abruptly rejected now, but he's never confessed like that before and it's a lot to think about! The sudden realization of the weight of what he's said, like, what if she doesn't want him to say it or something, he doesn't know—

But oh, oh shit, she loves him. He feels like his heart's going to burst out of his chest and the prickling feeling of being very much near tears is back for just a moment, while he can't seem to do anything but stand there and stare at her. She loves him! She loves him, and it isn't like the sun suddenly shines into the room or the romantic music swells like in a real romantic comedy, but after a moment he seems to catch up with the rest of the world and blink, grinning broadly and nearly stumbling from how fiercely she jumps at him.

He's good, though; it will take more than that to send him sprawling. He laughs and grabs her into a hug, pulling her in for an overly enthusiastic Okuyasu brand(tm) kiss before he realizes she is somehow even lighter than usual-- ah.]

Hey hey hey— Stay down here! [How can he kiss her if she's on the ceiling!! And yet, he is Delighted.] Man, that was easier than I thought!

[Relationship status: HELL yeah.]

[thriftea]

[Stay down? Um, no? Being eye-level with him is a nice change, and she fully intends to stay right where she is for at least a few more minutes. Look at this! She only has to lean forward to kiss him, and she can even kiss him wherever the heck she wants. His cheek? The very tip of his nose? The space right between his eyes? She has to wiggle up a bit higher for that one, it's true, but still! The sky's the limit!

But when she's done being an overly affectionate nuisance, she tips her head forward to press her forehead against his. Just like he always does to her, but now she's the (slightly) taller one. Nice.]

So you were worried, too? I wanted to tell you first, but I couldn't think of how to say it. [Other than, like, the way she just did, but shush.] You made it seem so easy!

[Kind of.]

[pursestrings]

[Stay at a huggable level...?! Don't fly up to the ceiling or he'll whine. He does not whine about all those kisses, quite the opposite, he laughs and squeezes her closer. Now then, worried, nooo... certainly not...]

Damn, did I? Score one for me— I thought my head was gonna explode the whole way over here!

[But everything is good now- better than good!!- so! Will he spin them both? Yes he will, spinning now.

And as he twirls around, he sees and remembers--] Waaait, what were you writing down?

[thriftea]

[Even though she was prepared to recite that entire list to him, or, like, use it in some kind of cutesy Pinterest project, the thought of him actually reading it is just! Embarrassing! It shouldn't be, especially not after their sappy love confession, but she still tries to gently turn his face back toward her. Paper? Pfft. Look at her instead.]

It's just a list! I was trying to think of stuff I like about this place, and stuff I definitely want to remember.

[As you do. And this is where she distracts him from this completely unimportant list with a kiss... except not really, because a) she isn't the slightest bit sneaky and b) she genuinely loves(!) this boy.]

So maybe most of it is about... you? [Okay, okay. Now she's turning even redder.] Maybe all of it is about you.

here i am, this is? the 18th? sure

[pursestrings]

[Or: after Okuyasu spends a few days Worrying and then has a weird two days in the well, he's back to... waiting for Ochako to come back. Everyone else, almost, is gone too-- know that Emma and Okuyasu sit around waiting for the entire town to come back for at least one whole day before people start coming back on boats.

Okuyasu, naturally, is just sitting on Ochako's front steps, just... waiting. Just chilling. Could he be down on the beach, waiting for the boats? Sure, but he'd probably burst into messy tears every time he saw a boat, and he's been incredibly sick for several days and just wants to sit!! He's still feeling pretty weak and ill, honestly, but when he finally spots Ochako coming back home, he does jump to his feet to meet her halfway, and... grab her face.

You know, like he does. Now then:] Holy shit!

[welcome home gurl]

[thriftea]

[Spending a week on what was quite possibly the shittiest island of all time? Fending off wave after wave of hungry, people-eating sirens? It's safe to say that Ochako had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad vacation, and it, uh. It shows. Her normally neat peasant attire is ripped all to pieces, covered in what looks like—and most certainly is—blood; her hair is a wild, tangled mess she's somehow managed to tie back into a ponytail; and every inch of visible skin is absolutely covered in shallow scratches. In short, Ochako looks... Rough. She feels rough, too, which is why she wants nothing more than to eat, bathe, and fall into the first bed she sees.

After, of course, she finds Okuyasu, which is another issue entirely. Not trapped on the island, not a member of the rescue crew— where could he possibly be? She's worried sick as she makes her way up the street toward her home, too busy imagining the crossed out code she'll find on the forum to notice the familiar figure sitting on her front stoop... or rushing toward her... or—

Oh! Now that gets her attention, and she blinks up at him, momentarily startled, until her exhausted brain finally processes who it is she's looking at. Hi.]

Okuyasu? [Dumb!! Such a dumb first thing to say, but she follows it up by shaking her head free, wrapping her arms around his waist, and leaning right the heck into him.] You were here the whole time? I missed you!

[She sounds all muffled, since she's talking, like, directly to his chest, and she probably smells disgusting, but whatever. She's 2 relieved 2 care.]

[pursestrings]

[It sure does show that things were past the point of just being bad, wherever Ochako has been this whole time. She looks like hell-- Okuyasu can't even relationship-sugarcoat that, she's bloody and injured and a complete mess-- but she's upright and moving and alive, so. All things considered, it could be worse, especially in a place like this.

That doesn't stop him from hugging her tight to his chest automatically, blood and, hm, odor and all. He's still rattled from his week of bizarre illness and dumb ideas, so it's much more important that she's come back at all. He has a first aid kit, it will be fine! Fine.]

—I think I passed out for like two days. [Hmm, that's it. No--] Everyone disappeared! And I got sick! Like, real sick, and then everyone else started going wild and Emma needed my help and then I woke up this morning at home.

[This is, truly, the best he can do. Nearly everyone he gives a damn about disappeared, so really, it is a wonder he was at all mobile for the past week. But with that great explanation out of the way, he pulls back just enough to look down at her, concerned.]

You wanna, like... clean up? I'll hang around.

[thriftea]

[Luckily, Ochako isn't badly injured; she's just, you know, a bit bruised and battered after toughing it through the world's worst survival training. Most of the blood she's wearing isn't even hers! It comes from other people, which is sad, and many, many sirens, which... isn't sad at all? And which she will soon explain to him in great detail, but for now—hmm. She tilts her head back, giving him a small, tired smile.]

Is that your way of saying I really need a bath?

[Hiiiilarious. Lame humor is the first thing she goes for, because it's the easiest thing to process at this point in time, okay. He just dumped a lot of information for her fuzzy mind to work through! She needs an extra second or two before it finally wakes itself up and kicks into gear, and when it does... oh, boy. Two days? Was he really passed the heck out for two whole days? Goodbye, sleepiness. Farewell, smile.]

I'll take one soon, I promise, but— [Raising up on her tiptoes, she presses the back of one hand against his forehead. She is officially Concerned!!] How are you feeling? Are you still sick?

[pursestrings]

[Not going to lie, this is not the ideal Ochako status, and needing a bath is part of those circumstances. Okuyasu just shrugs, because it's... true? But he's not insensitive to, like, whatever Chroma brand trauma happened out there.

Oh, but-- hm.]

Nah, I'm better. Mostly, anyway. [He's still a little woozy and foggy, but it's a great improvement already! Hmm!] I feel a lot better now that you're here!

[Hmm!!!] Like, for real, not just 'cause we're going out. But also... definitely 'cause of that, too?

[Hang on. Hang on, he's got this.]

I started feeling weird when everybody disappeared, and now I don't feel so weird. That's the best I got.

[thriftea]

[Oh, Okuyasu! Eloquent as ever. She keeps her hand on his forehead while he talks this whole thing out, only settling back down on her heels when she's absolutely certain he isn't running some crazy fever. Again: two whole days?? Jesus. As for this Puzzle of his, well—]

You feel better because we're back. [It doesn't take a Deku to figure out the connection here! Still, she pauses for a moment, thinking.] So maybe getting sick was... some kind of punishment? Like that time you couldn't hear me?

[That raises all sorts of other questions, but you know what? She's not exactly eager to continue standing in the middle of the street, especially not when a) the immediate concerns are taken care of and b) there's a bottle of berry-scented shampoo practically calling her name, so... toward her house she goes! After she grabs his hand, of course.]

I'm just glad you're okay now. You should probably rest, though! And eat something— [Wait, wait, wait. Listen to that very dramatic gasp.] Busta!

[Has anyone fed her poor, defenseless bunny? It's not like she knows. Hopefully he's ready to JOG.]

[pursestrings]

[Oh cool, another punishment, great.... no idea what anyone did this time besides, you know, not get caught, but Okuyasu does not have the mental energy right now to spend even a single iota of time dwelling on that. He shrugs and turns to follow her easily enough. He's already thinking about the sick nap he is inevitably going to take while Ochako reunites with her shampoo...

Annnd now they're moving fast, hmm, if only he were well enough to truly appreciate how ridiculous that bunny's name is when shouted dramatically—]

Uh— [uh???? look he's been, ill,] He's probably okay-?

[thriftea]

[She's never had a pet before, okay! Busta is a Big Deal, and all she can think of as she zips up to her room is how hungry and lonely her poor bunny must be. She knows—just knows—that she's going to throw open her door and find him, like, conked out beside his bone dry water bowl...

Except when she actually does throw open her door, she's greeted by the sight of a fat and happy Busta sprawled out on the floor... before he swiftly scurries under her bed. And his food bowl is full? And his water bowl is full, too? Ah.]

He's fine! [Sweet relief!! Followed by uncertainty, which is why she leaves Okuyasu to crouch down beside Busta's hiding spot.] He's just... scared, I think.

[Duh, Ochako. She stays there a second longer, just to be sure, before slowly standing back up with a sigh.]

Maybe he'll come back out soon? Please keep an eye out for him while I'm gone.

[And after grabbing some fresh clothes and giving him a quick pat on the arm, she is goooooooooone to find both her precious shampoo and a gallon of antiseptic. How do baths work in Chroma, anyway? It's probably a very involved Process, so have fun bonding with Busta for an hour or so, I guess. She will quietly sneak back in when she's finally squeaky clean, hoping to see her favorite bun out and about. Is Oku sleepin'...]

some time after the siren fiasco

[glaciers]

[Shouto's looking a lot better after a few days off siren hell island, but then again so is everybody else. So he tracks down Uraraka. It's still the month of admitting feelings, isn't it?

Time to admit some feelings. Once he finds her, that is.

He's trying her house first.]

[thriftea]

[Ochako is home, and she is also looking better after their absolutely terrible vacation. That's probably thanks to the three or so days she's spent sleeping? Staying still isn't Ochako's favorite thing to do, but hey, it was worth it! She's back to her old self, which is why she's all smiles as she answers the door.]

Todoroki-kun! It's good to see you! [She stands to the side, just in case he, you know, wants to waltz right in. Who knows what he's here for?] Is everything okay?

[glaciers]

[He's definitely back to himself, because he walks right in like the rude boy he is.]

Nothing's wrong. [He pauses all the same before continuing on with whatever he's here for.] You remember that quest about talking about your feelings, right?

[thriftea]

[The walking-in thing is exactly what she expected, honestly, which is why she doesn't look the least bit bothered as she closes the door with a snap. Talking about feelings, though? Now that earns him a curious look.]

Yeah! It's... a nice quest, don't you think? Easy, too.

[First thought: maybe he's here to ask for advice re: how to approach Izuku??? Surely that's what this is all about. Oh, Lord.]

[glaciers]

[He settles himself in the room as she talks, nodding in agreement.]

Yeah. That's why I'm here today. [As straightforward as ever.

Though he does look less at ease than he normally does.]

I'm... really glad you're stuck here with me. And I know that's awful to say, we'd all like to go home eventually. But it gave me a chance to get to know you better. At home we didn't really talk much.

I'm really happy you're my friend, and I'm proud to call you my sister.

[thriftea]

[Oh! That's... oh. She remains frozen in place as she processes everything he just said, because honestly, that seemed like a lot for him? It's more than she ever expected at one time, anyway, which is why she's so darn pleased! And slightly embarrassed? And shocked.

That last emotion, however, fades relatively quickly, and soon her small, friendly smile grows into an incredibly bright beam as she blinks over at him.]

I'm happy that you're my friend, too! And that you're my brother. It... means a lot to me.

[That's not enough, and she knows it!! She wants to walk right over and hug him, which she will do soon, but for now... she simply walks over and settles down somewhere near him. Probably on the arm of her shitty sofa, to be honest.]

It's weird to think about how we were before we came here. Things were so different! [She looks upward, thinking back a few short months ago.] I thought you were so cool, but you always seemed so serious, you know? I was afraid that I'd bother you if I tried to talk to you, even after you and Deku-kun became friends...

[Hell yeah she was still worried! It was dumb! Her expression turns a bit rueful as she looks back over at him.]

But now I don't think about that at all? I feel like I can talk to you about anything, even if it's kind of silly, and that's the best. It's like we really are brother and sister!

[glaciers]

[Shouto is just straightforwardly honest when it comes to these things. Sure, he's a little embarrassed, but it's never stopped him from just saying exactly what's on his mind. It's not like any bit of what he said was secret, he just didn't say it out loud.

So he listens to all of this and looks puzzled when Uraraka says she thought she'd bother him. Especially because:]

I asked you what lobsters dreamed about.

[Which was, honestly, a very dumb question. How would either of them ever know?]

[thriftea]

[And that question was a shock, let me tell you. How to express that, though...]

You did, [she agrees slowly, inclining her head,] but it's not like that's something we'd talk about back home? Or maybe that's not true? I'm not really sure, but... I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not something I ever expected you to ask. I thought I knew what you were like, but I didn't really know you at all!